  |
| |
|
How to talk to kids about cancer UUPers pen guide to help kids who have a parent with a serious illness  October 22, 2003 Janet Perloff of UUP Albany has the background to write a brochure on coping with cancer. FOR MORE INFORMATION: nysut.org/makingstrides The background recommended for someone crafting a brochure on how to talk to children about a seriously ill parent would surely include expertise in social work, public health and pediatrics. Yet when SUNY Albany professor Janet Perloff - who didn't plan on writing such a brochure, much less needing one - worked in those fields, they were but an unknown precursor to the vital work she is now immersed in. After being treated for breast cancer, Perloff worried about the effects on her son Jeffrey. "My first instinct was to get in touch with my son's teacher when I was diagnosed, and the school nurse," said Perloff, a member of United University Professions. "School nurses are a very, very important part of the team for addressing these issues." While wrestling with cancer, she teamed up with Victoria Rizzo, a colleague at SUNY Albany, to create a brochure titled "Conversations from the Heart." This resource guide is for people looking for ideas in talking to children about a parent's illness and includes information on some signs to look for including anger and depression. The brochure covers books, videotapes, Web sites and support groups. It is indexed by age level of the child. And it's a straight shot from Perloff's heart, beating the rhythm of her own personal struggle. Perloff was diagnosed with breast cancer in April 2000 after observing changes in the health of her breast through self exam. She has endured months of surgeries, chemotherapy and radiation. Disadvantage "Unfortunately, this cancer was not detected through mammography so I started with a disadvantage," she said. While her body suffered hair loss, fatigue and illness, her mind converted that disadvantage into a valuable perspective. "My understanding of the health care system and how it works is helpful to families and professionals who work with children," said Perloff, who was once a policy researcher at the American Academy of Pediatrics. Her husband, UUPer James Fossett, is an associate professor at the nearby Rockefeller College of Public Policy. Her personal touch in the brochure is a list of 10 tips for talking with children, including:
"When there is an ill parent, there are stresses and changes at home," Perloff said. "It's a big load for kids to carry. They need a place to put it down and it may be at the nurse's office. Children bring these things to school every day. I've come to regard schools as the first line of detection, the first line of support and the first line of defense." Yet with professionals at school being busy, Perloff wanted to ease their way to find information. She dug into research like an archaeologist. The methods came naturally: She is associate dean for research and professor in the School of Social Welfare at SUNY Albany's downtown campus, where she has insulated her office with long, neat rows of books. "My hope is to target some of the less advantaged schools and communities," she said. A thousand copies of the brochure have just been printed, and it is available online at www.thelifeinstitute.org. Perloff can be reached at jperloff@uamail.albany.edu. Perloff and Rizzo will submit proposals to other organizations for funding to distribute more brochures. Perloff is working on two scholarly papers on the impact of parental illness on kids and effective interventions. "Nobody wants to be the bearer of that kind of news to a child," Perloff said. "You're supposed to be a pillar of security." So she looked to other pillars: the school nurse, her son's music teacher and a coach. "They're your eyes and ears as a parent," Perloff said. - Liza Frenette |
NEWS TEAM RESULTS
|
| | |